Friday was a rough day for No. 5 Florida Gators softball, which not only lost 2-1 to the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles in the second game of the 2012 NCAA Gainesville Regional at Pressly Softball Stadium but did so without three of their star players.

Prior to the game, head coach Tim Walton announced that junior shortstop Cheyenne Coyle, sophomore outfielder Kasey Fagan and freshman third baseman Sami Fagan were suspended for undisclosed reasons. He said following the contest that the situation is being handled internally but that the trio is suspended indefinitely for the remainder of the season and could be kicked off the team permanently.

More definitive on the subject was Kevin Fagan, the father of Kasey and Sami, who told the Ocala Star-Banner the three players are no longer with the team and are “free to go anywhere they want.” He added that “an altercation on the team…[left] the team sort of divided and Walton felt like it was in his best interest to get rid of those three.”

It was not all bad news for Florida before the game, however, as the Gators also learned junior catcher Brittany Schutte would return after missing more than two months of action with a broken jaw. Schutte went 0/2 with a walk.

FGCU (38-22) got on the board first as Florida (46-12) sophomore right-handed pitcher Hannah Rogers gave up a solo home run in the top of the second. The Gators tied things up in the bottom of the next inning, rallying to score a run brought home by a single from freshman first baseman Lauren Haeger (2/3, RBI).

The Gators and Eagles stayed tied at 1-1 for the next two innings, but Florida Gulf Coast went back on top in the sixth as Rogers (27-7, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K) coughed up her second solo homer of the game. Florida was unable to answer and lost the game, which dropped them into the loser’s bracket of their own regional.

UF has lost seven of their last 11 games and now must win four-straight contests to advance to the Super Regional portion of the 2012 NCAA Tournament. Florida will face Central Florida at 3:30 p.m. in an elimination game for the opportunity to advance to a second elimination game immediately following the contest at 6 p.m.

First, Adam I don’t know what the Bama fan posted which you deleted. But the factual information regarding these athletes actions should be provided or certainly allowed as part of a reply if the site is indeed to be a “one stop shop for all Gator sports info”.

The actions of these 3 young women were not discrimination based on sexual orientation as someone wondered above. But it was another kind of discrimination and prejudice which is also common and often associated with the South. Evidence of how it had been expressed was crystal clear and basically the facts are not in dispute. It was of enough significance that many of the other members of the team made it clear they no longer wanted to be teammates with these 3.

I find it sad that their father chose to describe it as a generic “altercation on the team” so the coach decided to get rid of my 2 girls and 1 more. Some friends I guess have stated above that they are top notch people of excellent character and that the important thing is that we support them. these comments are indicative of the huge problem in our society. These young ADULTS should acknowledge their personal responsibility and clearly apologize and admit that they have no one but themselves to blame and express remorse for letting their teammates down and for the damage their actions will do to our program. Certainly forgiveness and second chances are possible, but at this point the folks close to them need to stop alibying and implying that its just rumors. The fact that Coach Walton completely dismissed them from the team the very same day it occurred and as the NCAA Championships are beginning is all the evidence needed to know the actions were egregious.

As an alumnus who loves The University of Florida, I want to be clear that my support is unwaiveriing. The young ladies who remain on our softball team have my 100% support, and I absolutely am proud that we have a coach who did not hesistate to do the right thing and made a decision which was difficult but absolutely correct. I will be in attendance at all the remaining Regional games cheering my heart ouf for our Gators !

I understand where you are coming from but there is a difference between the way you presented this comment and what that person wrote. No matter what, as much as I want to provide as much information as possible, I have to protect myself and this site legally. As it is a free site, I have to do my best not to be held responsible for comments made by my readers. Hope you understand that.

Hey Adam, just to clarify I have no problem with you zapping whatever the Roll Tide dude wrote if it was inappropriate. I guess I was just sort of pointing out before i even typed my message that my position would be the providing info about why they were kicked off that is accurate and presented responsibly should not be deleted. That would not be protecting against slander risk but just sensorship. But I do see where your coming from. Heck its all over the internet this morning presented in far more graphic detail and disparaging tone than mine.

I’m sick over it. I love following the softball team. I could tell this team seemed to possibly have some noticeable chemistry issues. But dang I had no idea. The Daddy’s comments in the paper really ticked me off. I mean he doesnt have to say anything and I sure dont expect him to trash his own daughters. But if you choose to comment to the press, then is should have had a far different tone. Something like “the actions by my daughters which caused their dismissal were wrong and out of character. Unfortuneately they are learning that serious mistakes have serious consequences”

Anyway, I will be there toay. Hoping that now that the bad apples are gone and initial shock of it all is over, maybe the gals will use it as a rallying point and come out determined to fiught back. Thanks

Understand what you are saying. However, considering all of the stories at this point are hearsay, it is tough to know what is factual and what might be a misrepresentation or exaggeration of the facts. What that person posted, while VERY similar to what I was told the story is, was not the same and had a few factual inconsistencies. Therefore, I can’t allow that to be up here at this time. I hope you understand.

“Discrimination often associated with the South”? What a load of horse manure. But a typical comment for Northerners, some of whom now reside in the South and live in Florida. Take your anti-South attitude and shove it on the way back to the Northern hell-hole you came from.

This team has been appearing to come apart of late even before all of this. Whatever it is, it doesn’t appear to be criminal in nature (at least it hasn’t come out yet) so I too am curious as to what it could be.

All three of these girls are top notch people. Not only are the excellent athletes, but they are excellent individuals off the field too. Regardless of what actually happened, it is important that they are supported in the decisions they must make in the coming weeks. As sad as it is to see them go, everything in life happens for a reason, and sometimes the reasons aren’t viewed accurately in the public scene. Give them a break, don’t expect them to be perfect, and don’t spread rumors. Any negative actions they may have foolishly taken are certainly out of character for these girls. They are known and loved by many and that over all else will not change.

Agree 110% with the person above. Only close friends and family knows what really happened here. These girls are amazing people and athletes. Spreading rumors here is seriously uncalled for. Nobody knows what it feels like to be going through this except the girls themselves. While the gator nation is very saddened to see them leave, we must respect them as people and how hard they worked on the field while they were with us. My views on these girls will not, and have not changed. I wish them the best where ever their college softball career takes them.

I’ve played w the fagans before and quit the “team” after just one season. I don’t soy t that they made an inappropriate comment harsh enough to cause them to be dismissed from the team. The girls need to grow up and stop thinking they r the ones who make the team. Honestly the gators are better off w/o them. They have yet to learn there is no I in team and realize their daddy can’t fix everything Jus because he’s played in the NFL. Nobody cares anymore! There not in little league anymore and need to pay for their actions like everyone else.

Without even knowing the details, I believe in Coach Walton’s fairness and sense of ethics. If these young women did anything to conduct themselves in a manner of prejudice or racial bias, they deserved to be reprimanded. It certainly shows a lack of maturity .(and class) by Sami Fagan for her to tweet ‘props’ to the FGCU team after they defeated UF on Friday.

No coach is going to dismiss his/her top players without just cause. The assumption that they have been mistreated is ridiculous and Mr. Fagan’s reaction is exactly what is wrong with parenting in our society today. To imply that Walton didn’t make his decision with the TEAM’s best interests in mind is insulting and simply not true.

Kids in college need to know their actions and words have consequences. It will happen in school, in relationships, and in employment. Altercations, whether you are the intiator or the reactor, can be quite serious. Talented players can let their abilities make them feel invincible. We have been involved with many select programs and high school where a coach simply cannot tolerate certain behavior. Many of those players come from daddy ball mommy ball coached teams. Few if any end up succeeding in softball because they simply cannot conform to pretty basic norms of behavior.

Educational privacy laws prevent the coach from releasing more than he has said. Unless there are public documents containing information about this situation — which could be obtained through some open records laws — we will never find out. A coach cannot afford to trash a player no matter how badly she has acted. So, unless a person closely associated with the facts talks, we are left with a general story. Now if I am as a coach asked to bring these three players on — regardless of the talent — I would not do so unless I had a full explanation of the situation. Behavior has an pattern of repetition.

I do feel a sense of disappointment for these three players. We played against one of these players last year in San Diego and saw the raw talent. To be removed from a storied program is indeed a sentence that they will bear with them their entire lives. This discipline may be the lesson that teaches them to refrain from similar behavior in the future.

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